Automatic toaster



July 7 1942. F. w. SCHARF AUTOMATIC TOASTER Filed July 12, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORN s July 7, 1942. F. w. SCHARF 2,288,748

AUTOMAT IC TOAS TER Filed July 12, 1940 4 SheetS -Sheet 2 INVENTOR Frcr W 86/7057 BY 8 c ATTO R N E 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 F.IW. SC iARF AUTOMATIC TOASTER Filed July 12, 1940 INVENTOR flk WJC/zarf w T ATTORNE July 7, 1942. v

July 7, 1942. F. w. SCHARF 2,288,748

I I AUTOMATIC TOASTER Filed July 12, 1940' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATToRNE Patented July 7, 1942 aurom'rrc TOASTEB.

Frank w. Scharl', Marshall, Mich, assignor to McGraw Electric Company, Elgin, Ill.,,a corporation 01' Delaware Application my 12, 1940, Serial No. 345,192

r 6 Claims. (Cl. 219-19) My invention relates to electric cooking devices and particularly to electric toasters.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel form of mechanism in an electric toaster for moving a bread carrier from non-toasting to toasting position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a carrier-moving means requiring balanced opposing pressures to cause movement of the carrier into toasting position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a plural latch and detent means for holding a bread carrier in toasting position requiring simultaneous movement of the latches to effect release of the carrier from toasting position.

Other objects of my invention ,will either be apparent from the following description of the preferred form of my. invention or will be set forth therein and will also be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a toaster embodying my invention, shown in normal position ready for a toasting operation,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with parts shown in their operating positions,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation,

showing manual actuation of the knobs to terminate a toasting operation,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the knobs shown in Fig. 3, i

Fig, 5 is a. vertical longitudinal section through a toaster embodying my invention taken onthe line 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 6,

Fig. 6 is a view partially in front elevation and' partially in section showing the carrier-moving means in initial position,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the carrier-moving means in actuating or operating positions,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional I view through the carrier-moving means taken on the line 9-8 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in front elevation taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 10,

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the carrier-moving means,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line llll of Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing the operating positions of the latch and detent means,

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but showing the latch members disengaged from the detent and corresponding to the position of the knobs shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings,

Fig, 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but showing the detent moved into latch-disengaging position, a

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line lS-IS of Fig. 14, and, Fig. 16 is a diagram of connections used in my improved toaster.

An electric toaster designated in its entirety by the numeral 2| includes a suitable skeleton frame 23 which may be of moulder composition material, and which has secured against the upper face thereof a bottom plate 25, which bottom plate may be provided with longitudinally-extending ventilating openings 21 in a manner now well known in the art. The assembly 2| includes also a casing 29 which, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, includes two side walls and front and rear walls and cooperates with a cover 3| to enclose the assembly, there being a toasting chamber 33 and a mechanism chamber 35 within'the casing. The toasting chamber 33 is defined in part by a rear intermediate wall 31, a front intermediate wall 39 and the outside vertically-extending planar electric heating units ll, of which I provide a spaced pair for each slice of bread adapted to be toasted in the toaster atone time. ;Each electric heating unit includes one or more plates 43 of electric-insulat ing material, s'uchas mica, having wound there- 'onfla resistor strip or wire 45, all in a manner well known ln the art.

The lower ends of the respective heating units 4| may have interfitting engagement (not shown in the drawings) with the bottom plate 25 and they upper ends thereof may be held by suitable topframe plates 41, all in a manner now well known in the art. It is to be understood that the cover 3| and the respective frame plates 41 are provided with longitudinally extending apertures to permit of insertion and removal of a slice of bread in the operation of the toaster. A plurality of vertical guard wires 49 are provided as is usual in toasters of this general kind.

Means for supporting a slice or slices of bread in the toasting chamber may comprise one or more bread carriers 5| which are vertically movable in the toasting chamber, the bread being prevented from contacting the resistor wire or strip 45 by the guard wires in a manner well known in the art. Means for movably supporting the bread carrier may compriseavertical standard 55, the lower end of which may "fit into th lower partof a bracket .51 suitably secured against the bottom plate 25 in the mechanism chamber 35 and the upper end of the standard 55 may interfit with an extension 59 secured to the upper end of bracket 31.

A carriage 8| having two bearing bushings 83 thereon fitting around the standard 55 has a rear extension suitably connected with the forward end of the carrier II which carrier extends through a vertical slot- 85 in the front intermediate wall 39. It is to be understood that where I have used the word "carrier I do so merely for convenience since I have shown a two-slice toaster and it is to be understood that the same terms apply as to the connection between the carriage and one or more bread carriers 5|. The rear ends .of the respective carriers slide in suitable slots provided in the rear intermediate plate 31.

Means for moving the bread carrier or carriers vertically on the standard 55 comprise a pair of short lever arms 01 pivotally mounted at their lower ends on a pair of stub shafts 39, the rear ends of which may be supported by a bearing bar 1| secured to bracket 51 and the forward ends of which may be supported by a fiat frame 13, of generally T-shape, suitably secured against a front vertical portion of bracket 51. The lower end of each of the lever arms 51 is provided with a toothed" sector 15 which toothed sectors are so designed and constructed that they mesh with each other as shown particularly in Figs. 6 and '1 of the drawings, so that the two lever arms must turn together. A pair of longer lever arms 11 are also fixedly mounted on the short shafts 59 between the front lever arms and the front wall 38, each arm 51 being aligned with an arm 11 and the upper end of each arm 51 being rigidly connected with an arm 11 by a stud 19. The frame 13 is provided with a pair of slots 8| extending in a substantially horizontal direction and symmetrically positioned relatively to the vertical center line of the frame A pair of actuating pins 83 are movable in the respective slots 8| and these pins respectively fit into and mechanically connect the inner ends of a rear link 85 and a front link 81, one of each of which are provided adjacent to the two side The respective upper ends of the long lever arms 11 have pivotally connected therewith links IN, by means of rods I02, the other ends of each of which are pivotally connected to the carriage 5| which is vertically movable on the vertical standard 55 as has been hereinbefore set forth. As will be seen from Fig. 6 of the drawings. the two links I 0| cross each other at an obtuse or relatively large angle when referring to the upper one of the four angles defined by the longitudinal axes of the two links.

The carriage 5|, and therefore the bread carriers 5| connected therewith, are moved downwardly into toasting position by cooperating and simultaneous movement of the two lever arms 61 which movement is efiected manually by contracting simultaneous pressure on knobs I 03, one of each of which is secured to the forward end of the pins 83. Means for retaining the bread carriers in their lowermost or toasting position, the position of the lever arms and links at this time being shown in Fig. 7, comprises a detent portions of frame 13. The outer ends of the two links 85 and 81 are connected by a pin 89 and suitable washers 9| are provided on the pins 89 and the pins 83 respectively so that when the pins 83 are moved toward each other by simultaneous contracting pressure by an operator, the links 85 and 81 and the pins 83 and 89 will move easily in the frame 13, it being understood that the pins 83 and 89 move in the slots 8| whereby these movable carts are caused to move in a substantially horizontal direction.

The respective lever arms 51 are provided with a short elongated slot 93 through which the pins or shafts 83 extend, which slots permit of a small upward movement of the pins 83 for a, reason to be hereinafter set forth. The rear links 85 are each provided with a latching roller .95 and the right-hand link. 85 is provided with a depending actuating member 91,for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to. The respective slots 8| are provided with a widened inner end portion 83 shown more particularly in Figs. 6 and 9 of the drawings, to permit of the pins 83 being moved upwardly as has just been hereinbefore described, and the purpose of such movement will be referred to hereinafter.

member I 05 slidably mounted at the rear of frame 13 as by a pair of fixed pins I01 mounted in the front portion 15 of bracket 51. The detent I05 is provided with elongated slots I09 therein to receive the fixed pins I01 and permit of the sliding movement hereinbefore described. The

upper end of the detent I05, which is of substantially T-shape, is provided with a recess III to receive the two rollers 95 hereinbefore described when these rollers have been moved toward each other in the manner already hereinbefore set forth. The use of such rollers 95 is preferred since the release between latch members and the detent can be effected very easily and quickly and with the application of a relatively small force applied to these parts.

Reference to Fig. 12 of the drawings will show the positions occupied by the latch members 95 and the detent I05 during a toasting operation when the levers and links occupy the position shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

If it is desired to manually terminate a toasting operation irrespective of any automatic control (to be hereinafter described) it is necessary that both knobs I03 be moved upwardly simul- .taneously, as is shown more particularly in Figs.

3 and 4, whereby the pins 83 enter the respective extension 99 of the horizontal slots 8| so that the latch rollers 95 will move into the position shown particularly in Fig. 13 of the drawings. The respective lever arms 61 are biased to the positions shown in Fig. 6 by coil springs II3 on the shafts 69, as seen more particularly in Fig. 5 of the drawings, whereby the carriage 5| is biased to its upper position and the bread carriers 5| connected therewith are biased to their nontoasting position. A connector Ill may have one end secured to a lever arm 61 and its other end to a lever arm 11 to insure simultaneous movements thereof. As soon as the latches 95 have been moved to their upper position as shown in Fig. 13, the springs 3 will cause separating movement of the pins 83 and of the lever arms 51 and 11 and the other parts connected therewith to move the bread carrier or carriers into raised or non-toasting position.

Theelectric heating-elements I may be energized by a switch including a substantially fixed contact II5 (see Figs. 6 and 7) and a movable contact II1, which latter contact is normally biased to the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings by a spring II 9 encircling a switchthe drawings.

actuating member or rod I2I positioned in a housing I23 in a manner which has been disclosed and claimed in co-pending application S. N. 279.386, filed June 16, 1939 by John R. Gomersall and assigned to the same assignee as is the present application. Extension plate I24 may be secured to a suitable part of the carriage operation, which toasting operation was initiated when the parts were moved as already described to the positions shown in Fig. '1 of the drawings.

Automatic thermal timing means for terminating a toasting operation may be utilized in my toaster hereinbeforedescribed and while these parts do not form a part of my invention, I have elected to show such thermal automatic timing and toasting operation-terminating means in order .to show how much timing and terminating means can be applied to my toaster.

The detent I is engaged by a short lever arm I21 (see particularly Fig. 15) mounted on a short shaft I29 extending in a substantially horizontal direction and located between the main lever arm 11 and the detent I05 as will be seen by reference to Fig. 8 of thedrawings. A biasing spring I3I has one end thereof fixedly mounted in a supporting bracket I33 carrying the shaft I29 while the other end engages the arm. I21 which arm is fixed on the shaft I29 to turn therewith. The construction and arrangement of spring I3I is such as to yieldingly bias detent I05 to its latch-engaging position. A collar I35 (see Fig. 8) is fixedly mounted on shaft arm of bellcrank lever I31 to cause it to tum' to the positionshown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, whereby the shorter arrm I40 thereof will be moved out of engagement with a collar I4I loosely mounted on shaft I29, which collar is provided with a notch I43 as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings for receiving the end of arm I40. The collar I 4| has secured thereto a depending arm I44, the lower end of which has an intumed extension I45 provided with a notch or slot I41 (see Fig. 11), the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

Any type of timing mechanism may be employed within the broader aspects of this invention. Merely for purpose of illustration, however, a thermal timer of the .same general construction and L operation as that disclosed and claimed in the. above mentioned Gomersall application S. N. 279,386 may be used and is indicated generally at I49 in Fig. and Fig. 5 of Only such parts thereof as are necessary for understanding the operation are shown in the present application. A bimetal element I5I (see Fig. 16) of the kind disclosed andclaimed in the above identified application has mounted at its flexing end a short bar I53 and the design and construction of this thermal timer is such that when the bread carriers are moved into their lowermost or toasting positions a small auxiliary heating element I55 thermally associated with the bitmetal bar I I5I so that it will be energized simultaneously with the main heaters and cause the bimetal bar to flex and move member I53 toward the left, as seen in Fig. 10 of the drawings, thereby moving arm I44 in a clockwise direction. This movement of himetal bar I5I continues until collar I has been turned sufficiently to permit the end of arm I40 of bellcrank lever I31 to move into recess I43, because of the bias given it by spring I38.

Means for deenergizing the auxiliary heater with arm I51 to hold the bell crank lever I56 in either one of two opposed limiting positions, the normal or initial one of which is shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings where the depending portion I59 is out of engagement with the movable contact I61 of a short circuiting switch which includes in addition to the movable contact I61 a fixed. contact I69 of the general kind shown in the above identified Gomersall application. When member I53 has been moved to the left (as seen in Fig. 10) the required distance because of the heating of bimetal I5I, the bell crank lever I56 will be caused to move in a clockwise direction whereby an extension on the end of arm 159 will engage the movable contact member I61 (normally biased out of engagement with the fixed contact I69) and force it into engaging contact with fixedfcontact member I69 whereby to short circuit auxiliary heater I55. The function of the over-center spring I65 is to hold this bell cranklever I56 in the positioninto which it was moved and to thereby continue the short circuiting action of switch contacts I61 and I69.

As soon as the heating effect of auxiliary heater I55 has ceased, the bitmetal member I5I will cool and the member I53 will then be moved to the right (as seen in Fig. 10) and because of the inter-engagement of arm I40 with notch I43 this turning movement of arm I44 will cause a turning movement of shaft I29 in a counterclockw se direction whereby arm I21 is also .tumed in a counter-clockwise direction and since it interfits with detent I05 (see Fig. 15) the detent I05 will be moved downwardly until it I31 will force the short arm I40 out of the notch I43 and the biasing spring I3I will move detent I05 into its upper position as shownin Figs. 12 and 13 of the drawings. An extension I1I on right hand lever arm 61 is adapted to engage an extension I13 on the second bellcrank lever I56, whenlever arms 61 move into'the positions of Figs. 9 and 10, to cause the bellcrank lever I58 to turn in a counterclockwise direction and permit disengagement of contact I81 from contact I69. The parts of the toaster are thus returned to their normal or inoperative positions and it is only necessary to remove the toasted slices of bread Ill (see Fig. 1 of the drawings) in order to place the toaster in condition for another toasting operation.

Reference to Fig. 6 of the drawings will show that it is impossible to cause the hereinbefore described movement of the bread carriers into toasting position by pressure on only one of the actuating knobs I03 which, it will be noted, are moved in a direction substantiallyat right angles to the movement of the bread carrier or carriers. Thus, if pressure be applied to the left-hand knob I03, tending to force lever arm 61 to turn in a clock wise direction, the pressure exerted on link IOI and transmitted to the right-hand upper end of carriage 6| will cause the carriage to bind or carrier vertically movable into toasting and nontoasting positions relatively to the toast-heating element and yieldingly biased to non-toasting position, of means for causing movement of the carrier to toasting position comprising a pair of interconnected lever arms extending in a substantially vertical direction and pivotally mounted at their lower ends, a pair of actuating knobs pivotally connected with said lever arms, guide-slot means constraining movement of the actuating knobs to substantially horizontal paths. a carriage connected to said bread carrier, vertical guide means for the carriage, and a pair of crossed links conecting the upper ends of the lever arms to the carriage, the angle at which said links normally cross each other being such lock on standard 55 thereby effectually preventing downward movement of the carriage on the standard. It is only when a balanced pressure is applied to carriage 6| as when both lever arms 61 are acted upon simultaneously by contracting and substantially equal pressures, that a downward movement of carriage 6| on the standard is possible because of the absence of any binding or locking tendency because of a one-sided application of a moving force to the carriage. It is to be noted that the design, construction and arrangement of the lever arms and the links is such as to obtain this action-.-

. It may be further pointed out that it is necessary that both knobs I03 be moved manually in h an upwardly direction to disengage latch rollers 95 from the detent I05 to permit ofreturn of the linkage to its normal inoperative position as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings to terminate a toasting operation at any desired time irrespective of, the automatic terminating mechanism thereof. It will be further noted that manual termination moves a pair of latch members out of engagement with the detent while automatic termination of a toasting operation moves the detent out of engagement with the latch members.

While I have shown a specific embodiment of my invention it is obvious that the invention is not limited thereto and that modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims should be considered as being covered thereby.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an electric toaster comprising electric toast-heating means and a bread carrier movable into toasting and non-toasting positions relatively to the toast-heating means and normally yieldingly biased to non-toasting position, or a means including a pair of pivotally-mounted lever arms requiring balanced pressures thereon to cause movement of the carrier into toasting position, latch members pivotally connected to the respective lever arms, a detent for engaging said latch members to hold the carrier in toasting position, said latch members requiring simultaneous movement relatively to the detent for effecting release of the carrier from toasting position.

2. In an electric toaster, the combination with an electric toast-heating element and a bread that substantially balanced contracting pressures on both knobs are required to cause movement of the bread carrier to toasting position.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 and including a pair of latch members operatively mounted on said lever arms, a detent for engaging and holding said latch members when the bread carrier has been moved to toasting position, and means actuable by one of said lever arms for moving the detent into latch-engaging positionv 4. A device as set forth in claim 2 and including a pair of latch members operatively mounted on said lever arms, a detent for engaging and holding said latch members when the bread carrier has been moved to toasting position, and means actuable by one of said lever arms for moving the detent into latch-engaging position, manual release of the carrier from toasting positionrequiring simultaneous movement of the pair of latch members relative to the detent.

5. In an electric toaster, the combination with an electric toast-heating element and a bread carrier vertically movable into toasting and nontoasting positions relatively to the toast-heating element and yieldingly biased to non-toasting position, of means for causing movement of the carrier to toasting position comprising a pair of interconnected lever arms pivotally mounted adjacent to each other at their lower ends and extending upwardly away from each other, a vertically movable carriage operatively connected to the bread carrier, a pair of crossed links pivotally connected to the carriage and to the upper ends of the lever arms, actuating knobs connected to the respective lever arms, requiring the application of substantially equal and opposite contracting pressures to the knobsto cause approaching movement of the upper ends of the lever arms and movement of the bread carrier into toasting position.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 and including a pair of latch members fixedly connected with said actuating knobs, guide means forcing the knobs to move in substantially horizontal paths for the major portions of their travel, the knobs and latch members being free to move vertically at the ends of their approaching movements, a detent for engaging said latch members to hold the bread carrier in toasting position, release of the bread carrier from toasting position requiring simultaneous raising of both knobs and the latch members from the detent.

FRANK W. SCHARF. 

